Stand or ground blind

[Billy74]

I was originally thinking about getting a ground blind for this fall to use in the NE but have been thinking a tree stand might be cool as well.  I see a lot of pros and cons to both.  As a novice hunter hunting NE (unit 111 mostly) what are opinions on what would be most beneficial.  Im still leaning toward the ground blind  because of its ease of use and ability to move and as a new hunter I’m still learning and a ground blind wouldn’t lock me in to a spot as much and also might allow me to focus on the other things i need to be learning and paying attention to.


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[OutHouse]

I use both for whitetails. I am not as big a fan of tree stands because you're sort of locked in for a long sit and can cause disturbances if getting in and out a lot. Ground blinds are a lot of fun I think. Get them in place very early and use brush to further conceal. If its raining, you are dry. If you get bored, read a book. Try to have only one or two windows open. Too many openings makes it a lot easier to see movement inside. I have peep holes on mine in various places so that I can still look around even with closed windows. Have been busted many times having too many windows open.. If you are doing archery, practice shooting from the blind. Got ruined a few years ago because my arrow nicked the bottom of the window due to it sitting lower than my sight. Some have windows that can be seen and even shot through.

[idaho guy]

I have also shot the bottom of the window in my ground blind  I wouldn't use the shoot through windows either tried that and although we hit the animail the results were less then stellar. I would use ground blind 100% over a tree stand every time. number one reason is comfort and I think you get away with more movement. Only time I would personally use the tree stand is when the terrain requires like really steep and/or brushy which is a lot of north idaho

[Skyvalhunter]

The NE as in Maine, upper NY or one of those states?

[chad24n]

I personally prefer tree stands but only because I hunt brushy Western Wa. Treestands are more conducive to having better vantages and more shot lanes here.

I would let the lay of the land dictate what to use. Blinds will be more comfortable and easier to get into but they will keep your scent on the ground and may inhibit your sight picture.

[Jpmiller]

Tree stand. It gets you up off the ground and greatly increases what you can see. I've got one of those safety bars on mine and you can use that to help conceal yourself a little more. I've also had better luck not getting animals to look up and notice me that I didn't get when I used a ground blind.

[huntnnw]

way to many cons coming from someone who has sat thousands of hours in stands for Whitetails over 30 years to use a blind. I will do anything first to sit in a stand than resort to a blind. I have a blind and it only gets used on areas where I just cannot use a stand and thats a rarity

[Skyvalhunter]

The Methow has some excellent places to use them you should try them out there

[huntnnw]

thats a great idea with a rifle

[Jonathan_S]

I use groundblinds: when I want to hunt it within a couple days and don't want to go to the trouble of setting a stand, when there aren't good hanging trees, when I don't trust thermals or wind at the stand site.

It sucks losing some chances due to lack of visibility but I'd rather have that over a doe standing 100 yards out blowing for 25 mins.

Benefits:
Scent Containment
Movement Concealed
%#&$* hornets stay out
Quicker and quieter entrance into stand
Spread my stuff out on the ground inside
Warmer in the cold wind.

Cons: (not many but they're BIG)
Can get hot when sunny
Limited visibility
Gets darker way faster
Easier to see for thieves

[huntnnw]

Ill take a stand 30' up all day long for shifty winds. deer gets down wind of a blind its no different than sitting on the ground. I have had more deer come in down wind in a stand than I care to count. Very few sits in a blind to have a deer come in down wind and wind me.

[Jonathan_S]

Ill take a stand 30' up all day long for shifty winds. deer gets down wind of a blind its no different than sitting on the ground. I have had more deer come in down wind in a stand than I care to count. Very few sits in a blind to have a deer come in down wind and wind me.

Love it when I can get up high like that!  So much confidence in those setups.

[huntnnw]

yeah! last time I sat in a blind I couldnt take it anymore and moved and hung a stand late season sitting in those bowhunting and usually cloudy skies the light inside those things is so bad and and 45 min before legal shooting you cant see pins

[Jonathan_S]

Yeah last December 15th I shot at "last light" and waited 10 minutes after hearing crash to look for the arrow.  Even after those 10 minutes, it was light enought to shoot once I was OUTSIDE the blind 

As for shooting out the mesh, as long as it is tight there haven't been issues with impact.  I've taken five deer by shooting through the mesh and it never made a noticeable difference out to 35-40 yards. My wife had troubles with her setup but that was later attributed to her depth perception and not physical effect.

[tonymiller7]

Unless you are going to put out the ground blind well in advance so the animals can get used to it I would avoid using one.  Whether camo or not they stick out like a sore thumb to a deer even if brushed in.  For me, treestands are the way to go.  I use this analogy.  Imagine if someone stuck a new couch in your living room.  Even if it looks like it should belong there, you know it doesn't.  Same goes for a new giant brush pile (groundblind) when it comes to deer.

[greenhead_killer]

I’m a tree stand kind of guy too. Much better vantage. Keeps scent up high. Lots of shooting lanes. Light stays light longer to shoot than in a blind. The last time I hunted late season wts, 2017, I had 34 buck encounters in 6 days in my stand. Some of them the same buck, but still that many chances and they came from every which direction. Too confining in a gb imo

[idaho guy]

Yeah last December 15th I shot at "last light" and waited 10 minutes after hearing crash to look for the arrow.  Even after those 10 minutes, it was light enought to shoot once I was OUTSIDE the blind 

As for shooting out the mesh, as long as it is tight there haven't been issues with impact.  I've taken five deer by shooting through the mesh and it never made a noticeable difference out to 35-40 yards. My wife had troubles with her setup but that was later attributed to her depth perception and not physical effect.

That's interesting with the mesh-We had mixed results maybe the shooters were the problem If I could shoot through the mesh with total confidence I would never use a tree stand if the terrain was right. I have been covered up in deer and elk while in my ground blind and they seemed pretty oblivious to my presence. Also I don't like heights so I am biased against tree stands but have used them when I had too. I have buddies that are hardcore whitetail bow hunters and they would also say tree stand is only way to go. I think it comes down to personal preference  and the area you are hunting. I know of a guy that insisted on using a tree stand in hells canyon for mulies!!! he is obviously from the south and is actually pretty well known. Good example of getting set in our ways when someone has done something for years successfully kinda hard to change. Eighty percent of my hunting is spot and stalk,calling in or chasing dogs so I am not an expert on either one but still vote ground blind I have just had more personal success that way and enjoy it a lot more. I only hunt that way during early archery like first 7-10 days     

[Jpmiller]

Unless you are going to put out the ground blind well in advance so the animals can get used to it I would avoid using one.  Whether camo or not they stick out like a sore thumb to a deer even if brushed in.  For me, treestands are the way to go.  I use this analogy.  Imagine if someone stuck a new couch in your living room.  Even if it looks like it should belong there, you know it doesn't.  Same goes for a new giant brush pile (groundblind) when it comes to deer.

I'd be willing to let you buy me a new couch to test this theory. The wife really wants brown leather 

[smithkl42]

One thing to beware of with a ground blind is to make sure you get one big enough. I bought an inexpensive one that seemed like it would be large enough, and indeed was, so long as I was just sitting in it. But as soon as I tried to pull back my bow for a test shot, I realized I couldn't come to full draw without moving around a whole bunch and getting myself closer to the window. So expect, maybe, to get a bigger one than you would initially hope.

[Jonathan_S]

Unless you are going to put out the ground blind well in advance so the animals can get used to it I would avoid using one.  Whether camo or not they stick out like a sore thumb to a deer even if brushed in.  For me, treestands are the way to go.  I use this analogy.  Imagine if someone stuck a new couch in your living room.  Even if it looks like it should belong there, you know it doesn't.  Same goes for a new giant brush pile (groundblind) when it comes to deer.

For what it's worth I've had shot opportunities on 3 whitetail bucks that were 4.5 yrs+ old from a groundblind that hadn't been there longer than a day and I've killed a few deer like that.  I agree it's best practice to have things set up and brushed in properly but I generally disagree that it's pointless to hunt that way.  Things change in the woods all the time.

Bucks are so cautious that they notice things from farther away I think.  Then as long as they can approach at their snail pace, they are fine.  This is mostly rut and post rut hunting so ymmv.

[Billy74]

I think a ground blind is the way ill go for now.  Mostly do to my 9yo boy who will be coming along.  So my question now is how early should i put it up on public land.  Big concern is of course someone trashing it it, stealing it or a storm moving it altogether.  I think ill also make some natural blinds in secondary spots as well.  Kids will love helping with that project.  Does anyone know if using cammo netting would be looked at as trash or littering if left out a few weeks.   


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[hal]

depends on weather. ground blinds allow you to duck under the wind and rain. much more comfortable. We have 6 ground blinds and two tree stands on our property. The tree stands are used as a change of pace option.

[buckfvr]

I have both......sometimes the hunt comes down to the weather and if the ground blind lets you sit the whole day in rotten weather and you know you wouldnt be able to sit in the tree ??  I know where Ill be.